Orthodontic attachment device



. R. J. HUETTNER ET AL ORTHODONTIC ATTACHMENT DEVICE April 30, 1963 I Filed June 28, 1961 INVENTOR Poss Hun-1W5? United States Patent 3,087,244 ORTHQDONTIC ATTACHMENT DEVHIE Robert J. Huettner, 397 W. Montauk Highway, Bayshore, N.Y., and Chalmers M. Goodyear, 31 Woodland St., Huntington, N.Y.

Filed June 28, 1961, Ser. No. 120,357 7 Claims. (Cl. 32-44) This invention relates to an orthodontic attachment device used by dentists in conjunction with an orthodontic arch wire for the straightening of malpositioned teeth. More particularly, the invention relates to an orthodontic attachment device which retains the orthodontic arch wire that is used to direct the necessary and proper forces on malpositioned teeth.

Generally described, the invention comprises an arch wire retaining member which is preferably cylindrical in shape. The base of the retaining member is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the conventional orthodontic tooth band or other base that may be affixed to a tooth to be straightened. The top surface of the wire retaining member is provided with a downwardly extending channel which is adapted to retain the conventional orthodontic arch wire. The wire retaining member is also provided with a peripheral recess which intersects the out side edges of the downwardly extending channel near the top of the wire retaining member. The peripheral recess is constructed to retain a removable snap clamp, such as a retaining ring. The retaining snap clamp is of such a construction that when it is inserted into the peripheral recess it has sections that overlap and block the outside portions of the downwardly extending channel. The snap clamp is retained in the peripheral recess by a press or snap fit. The wire retaining member may also be provided with a second channel extending upwardly from the bottom thereof and at 90 to the above described downwardly extending channel.

The orthodontic attachment device of this invention overcomes many of the disadvantages of the wire retaining devices presently used by dentists. One of the most common devices used today is known as a standard edgewise appliance. This device has a body member which is channeled to receive an orthodontic wire. It also has parallel recesses removed from the edges of the base which are parallel to the channel. To retain an orthodontic wire within the channel of this device it is essential to weave a ligature wire over the orthodontic wire and pass it under the base recesses and then twist it over the orthodontic wire and twist it to form in effect a tourniquet. The ends of the twisted ligature wire may then be cut or bent. This kind of appliance has many disadvantages which are eliminated by the present invention.

The most important object of the present invention is the elimination of ligature wires to hold the orthodontic arch wire within the bracket retaining member. It is now possible to retain the arch wire in place through the use of a removable snap clamp or retaining ring. The clamp or ring may be inserted without any twisting or crimping, thus there is a substantial reduction in any torquing elfect that is inherent with the use of ligature tie wires. The torquing effect can loosen the connection between the retaining member attachment and the tooth band and thus weaken or destroy the entire appliance.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an orthodontic arch wire bracket which permits ease of installation, retention and adjustment of the orthodontic arch wire. With the present invention it is only necessary to remove the snap clamp from the peripheral recess about the bracket in order to free the arch wire for adjustments and then simply replace the ring to retain the wire after the adjustments have been made. With the 3,087,244 Patented Apr. 30, 1963 devices commonly used today, this is impossible, since the ligature wire must first be removed and then after the adjustments are made, a new ligature wire must be threadably inserted, twisted and cut. The latter process not only requires greater time, but it is also more painful and uncomfortable for the patient.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an orthodontic attachment which has no sharp edges and which will not cut or irritate the oral tissues as is the case with ligature wires. The surfaces of the present invention are smooth and compact, there are no loose or cut wires. In addition, the snap clamp will not loosen from its set position once it has been inserted, while ligature wires tend to give somewhat as time goes by and the pigtail of the ligature tie wire may move out of place and injure the oral tissues.

Another object of the construction of the orthodontic attachment of this invention is that it is more difficult for the patient to remove or tamper with the appliance once it is set and therefore far superior orthodontic results are possible.

Other additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be recognized during a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings referred to, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing the general use of the invention attached to a selected tooth in a dental arch;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention with the snap clamp removed;

FIG. 3 is a prespective view of the invention showing the orthodontic arch wire in the bracket and the snap clamp attached;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along lines 4- 4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along lines 55 of BIG. 3.

Referring now to the figures which show the preferred embodiment, the orthodontic arch wire retaining member is designated by reference numeral 10. The bottom face of this member may be welded or otherwise afiixed to a base plate which is used to retain the attachment against a particular tooth. As shown in the drawings, the base of the attachment retaining member is welded to a tooth band 11. The band shown is conventional and is wrapped around the malpositioned tooth as is shown in FIG. 1. The top face of the orthodontic arch wire retainng member 10 is provided with a downwardly extending channel 12. Channel 12 extends from the top surface toward, but not extending completely through to the bottom surface of the attachment retaining member. It is preferable that channel 12 be centrally disposed through the top surface of the retaining member 10. When the retaining member is cylindrical, as shown in the drawings, channel 12 should be diametral. The width of channel 12 should be slightly larger than the width of a standard orthodontic arch wire. Arch wires may vary in thickness but generally are within the range of .018- .022 inch.

An inwardly extending rectangular recess 13- is provided around the entire periphery of the retaining member :10. It is preferable that recess 13 be spaced toward the top of retaining member [10 and it is essential that it intersect channel 12 at a point spaced sufiiciently above the bottom of said channel so that an arch wire may rest within the channel below the recess. This is shown in FIG. 4, where sufiicient room is provided between the bottom of channel 12 and the bottom of recess 13 to permit the retention of an orthodontic arch wire 14. The width of recess 1'3 should be slightly larger than the thickness of snap clamp 15 which will be hereinafter described.

The snap clamp 15 is shaped to register within recess 13 in a press or snap fit condition. In the drawings, the snap clamp or ring 15 is substantially semi-circular or horseshoe shaped to correspond with the shape of the retaining member 10. It is provided with two inwardly extending sections 16 adjacent the free ends of its semicircular shape and a centrally disposed inwardly protruding toe 17. Inwardly extending sections 16 of ring or clamp 15 are constructed to horizontally overlap channel 12 when the ring or clamp is inserted in recess 13. The inserted snap clamp is shown in FIG. 4. When the clamp is thus inserted, the toe 17 abuts the inside wall of the recess and prevents the clamp from becoming misaligned by excessive inward pressure. The distance between the inside faces of sections 16 of clamp 15 should be slightly less than the inside diameter of recess 13 so that a press or snap fit is achieved by the clamp. The outside diameter of clamp 15 should be larger than the diameter of retaining member so that there is a slight protrusion of the clamp when it is inserted. This protruding area assists both in the insertion and the removal of the clamp.

The orthodontic arch wire retaining member 10 may be provided with a second channel 18 at the bottom thereof extending upwardly and at 90 to channel 12. Channel 18 is not as deep as channel 12 and may terminate at the intersection thereof. It is preferable that channel 18 also be centrally disposed within the bottom of member 10.

In commercial use, the orthodontic arch wire retaining member 10 would first be welded to a suitable base such as a tooth band 11. The tooth band is then shaped to surround the malpositioned tooth to be straightened with the retaining member extending either outwardly or inwardly depending upon the particular forces desired. Usually, however, it extends outwardly and the channel 12 horizontal and channel 18 vertical. The orthodontic arch wire 14 is then inserted into channel 12 and rests upon the bottom thereof. When the wire is in place, the snap clamp 15 is then inserted and press fitted into recess 13 with the use of an appropriate tool. The inwardly extending sections 16 of clamp 15 would overlap and cover channel '12 at areas adjacent the periphery of retaining member 10- so that the orthodontic arch wire 14 is trapped below the snap clamp within channel 12. With the arch wire held in this manner within channel 12, the normal forces may be exerted to direct the malpositioned tooth into its proper position.

If adjustments are necessary the snap clamp may be readily removed with a proper tool by extracting it from its press fit position and the orthodontic arch wire adjusted and then simply by replacing the clamp the wire is once again locked in position.

In special cases where unusual and/or severe forces are necessary, such as in cases of serious malocclusion, channel 18 may be used to accommodate an elastic thread, fine gauge wire, coil springs or any other mechanism that would be necessary in the particular operation. Such auxiliary holding devices can be threaded through channel 18 and attached to either the arch wire or another attachment retaining member.

Although the dimensions of the orthodontic arch wire retaining member are, to a degree, not critical, the device should be as small as possible so that it does not encumber the mouth, but still large enough to insure sufficient strength and working area around the various parts. The total height of member 10 should be approximately .04 to .07 inch and have a diameter of about .08 to .10 inch. It is preferable that the channel 12 should extend downwardly approximately .03 to .06 inch depending upon the overall height and should have a width of about .02 to .025 inch which is slightly larger than the thickness of the arch wire. The clearance between the walls of channel 12 and the wire should be .001 to .003 inch. The recess 13 should have a thickness of about .010 to .14 inch and extend inwardly about .018 inch. The snap clamp 15 has a thickness of about .010 inch and the distance between the faces of the inwardly protruding sections 16 should be between .040 and .060 inch depending upon the inside diameter of recess 13. In all cases this distance should be at least .001 inch smaller than the diameter. The outside diameter of snap clamp 15 should be between .12 and .15 inch so that about .04 inch extends beyond the periphery of retaining member 10 when the snap clamp is in the holding position. The bottom channel may be about .020 inch square and the space between the top face of member 10- and recess 13 about .010 inch.

Any suitable metal may be used for the orthodontic attachment of this invention, but it should be of such a nature to be readily machined and welded and be corrosion resistant. It has been found that stainless steel is most satisfactory although precious metals may also be :used although less economical.

It can be seen from the above description that the present invention affords a new and improved orthodontic attachment device which overcomes the disadvantages of the present day devices requiring the use of ligature wires and the like. Although the invention has been shown and described herein, it is understood that certain changes and additions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. An orthodontic appliance comprising an orthodontic arch wire retaining member having a base adapted to be secured to a tooth, said member provided with a downwardly extending channel adapted to hold an orthodontic wire, said member having a peripheral recess intersecting said channel, said retaining member having a removably afiixed snap clamp Within said recess, said clamp adapted to be retained in said recess and above the orthodontic wire when said wire is in said channel.

2. An orthodontic appliance comprising a tooth band, an annular orthodontic arch wire attachment member aflixed to said band, said member provided with downwardly extending diametral channel, said member provided with an annular recess intersecting said channel, said attachment member provided with a removably affixed substantially semicircular snap clamp having inwardly extending sections at the ends thereof registering within said annular recess, said clamp adapted to be retained in said annular recess.

3. An orthodontic appliance comprising an orthodontic arch wire retaining member having a bottom base face surface and an exposed top face surface, said member having a downwardly extending channel from said top face and an upwardly extending channel from said bottom face at right angles to said downwardly extending channel, said member also having a peripheral recess intersecting said downwardly extending channel, said retaining member being provided with a removably aflixed snap clamp, said clamp adapted to be retained in said recess.

4. An orthodontic appliance comprising a cylindrical orthodontic arch wire retaining member, said member provided with a downwardly extending channel and an inwardly extending annular recess intersecting said channel adjacent the top thereof, said retaining member having a removably afiixed snap ring, said ring adapted to be retained in said annular recess.

5. An orthodontic appliance comprising a cylindrical orthodontic arch wire retaining member having a bottom base face surface and an exposed top -face surface, the top face of said member provided with a diametral downwardly extending channel and the bottom face of said member provided with an upwardly extending channel at right angles to said downwardly extending channel, said wire retaining member having an inwardly extending annular recess intersecting said downwardly extending channel adjacent the top thereof, said retaining member provided with a removably affixed semi circular snap ring having inwardly extending sections at the ends thereof, the distance between said sections being slightly less than the inside diameter of said annular recess, said snap ring adapted to be retained in said recess.

6. An orthodontic appliance comprising a base plate, an orthodontic arch wire retaining member having a bottom base face surface and an exposed top face surface, said bottom face being aflixed to said base member, said retaining member being provided with a centrally disposed channel extending downwardly from the top face through the major portion of said member, said channel adapted to receive an orthodontic arch wire, said retaining member provided with an inwardly extending peripheral recess adjacent the top surface thereof, said recess intersecting said centrally disposed channel adjacent the edges of said retaining member, said retaining member having a snap clamp, said clamp having substantially the same shape as said recess and adapted to be press fitted therein.

7. An orthodontic attachment comprising a base adapted to be fitted to a tooth, a cylindrical orthodontic arch wire retaining member having bottom base face surface and an exposed top face surface, said bottom face being afiixed to said base, the top surface of said retaining member having a downwardly extending diametral channel through the major portion of said member, said channel adapted to retain an orthodontic arch wire, the bottom surface of said retaining member having an upwardly extending diametral channel through a minor portion of said member and at to said downwardly extending channel, said retaining member being provided with an inwardly extending annular recess adjacent the top surface thereof and spaced from the bottom of said downwardly extending channel, said recess intersecting said downwardly extending channel adjacent the circumference of said retaining member, said retaining member provided with a removable horseshoe shaped snap ring having inwardly projecting sections at the free ends thereof and a centrally disposed inwardly projecting toe, said snap ring having a thickness slightly less than the thickness of said annular recess and adapted to be retained therein by a press fit between said inwardly extending sections and the inside circumferential walls of said recess, said inwardly extending snap ring section interrupting said downwardly extending channel adjacent the outside ends thereof and spaced from the bottom of said channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,381,128 Laskin Aug. 7, 1945 

1. AN ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE COMPRISING AN ORTHODONTIC ARCH WIRE RETAINING MEMBER HAVING A BASE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A TOOTH, SAID MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CHANNEL ADAPTED TO HOLD AN ORTHODONTIC WIRE, SAID MEMBER HAVING A PERIPHERAL RECESS INTERSECTING SAID CHANNEL, SAID RETAINING MEMBER HAVING A REMOVABLY AFFIXED SNAP CLAMP WITHIN SAID RECESS, SAID CLAMP ADAPTED TO BE RETAINED IN SAID RECESS AND ABOVE THE ORTHODONTIC WIRE WHEN SAID WIRE IS IN SAID CHANNEL. 